Coaching Staff - Hampton University

Coaching Staff
He was able to accomplish this feat while also incorporating over
10 players to a new system during the two years he has been here
at Hampton. Nickelberry brings with him a proven track record that
includes postseason appearances in each of his last three stops as
an assistant.
“We were impressed with Coach Nickelberry’s experience,
enthusiasm, disciplined approach to the game of basketball and his
commitment to academics for his players,” said Hampton University
President Dr. William R. Harvey. “Our feeling is that he can take us
back to being one of the best mid-major programs in the country.”
During his introductory press conference, Nickelberry stressed the
importance of building a “program” during the Pirates’ climb back into
mid-major prominence. To become a mid-major power, he felt the
elements of building a “program” had to encompass accountability
and results in four areas: academics, recruiting/player development,
facility upgrades and community support.
Kevin Nickelberry
Head Basketball Coach
Hampton University
In taking over a program that had lost scholarships due to the NCAA’s
APR program, Nickelberry’s accountability has guided the men’s team
to its highest GPA in 10 years. Recruiting higher-profile players and
developing talent was very important to Nickelberry, as evidenced
by two consecutive top-60 recruiting classes and the emergence of
Rashad West as a potential Player of the Year candidate.
Through fundraising, Nickelberry has upgraded the team’s locker
room and improved the common areas throughout the arena.
He has also made a splash in the community, with over 800 kids
Nickelberry has also been named as one of the top up-and-coming
head basketball coaches at the NCAA Division I level by The Sporting
News and the HoopScoop Online, ranking 15th on the site’s list of the
country’s Top 25 Up-and-Coming Coaches.
“I feel very honored to be named on a list with coaches such as
Anthony Grant (VCU), Andy Kennedy (Mississippi), Brian Gregory
(Dayton) and Frank Martin (Kansas State), just to name a few,”
Nickelberry said. “These are all great coaches and to be at No. 15 on
this list means a lot to me and it says a lot about what we have been
able to accomplish in a short time here at Hampton.”
Since his arrival to Hampton University, Nickelberry has won an
impressive 12 non-conference games. Some of the games were over
teams such as Tulsa, Virginia Commonwealth, William and Mary,
New Orleans, UNC-Greensboro, Delaware and St. Bonaventure, just
to name a few.
2008–09 Men’s Basketball Media Guide
www.hampton pirates.com
Kevin Nickelberry is in his third season at the helm of the Hampton
University men’s basketball program. In his first year, he posted
records of 15-16 overall and 10-8 in conference play as the Pirates
finished the regular season in third place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic
Conference (MEAC). Nickelberry’s Pirates showed improvement
during the 2007–08 campaign as Hampton won 18 games, while
their 11-5 mark in the MEAC was good enough for a second-place
finish in the much improved MEAC.
hampton university
Head Coach
13
h a m p t o n u n i v e r s i t y
Head Coach
involved in his basketball camps and making his
radio show, “The McDonald’s Basketball Show,”
a weekly event. While some may be surprised
by such a positive turnaround in such a short
time, positively impacting a program almost
immediately is nothing new to Nickelberry.
The 43-year old Maryland native came to
Hampton after working on Oliver Purnell’s staff at
Clemson University for three years. In his first year
as Clemson’s recruiting coordinator, Nickelberry
helped Clemson bring in an impressive top-25
recruiting class. Nickelberry’s immediate impact
at Clemson was not surprising, given that he
was widely regarded as one of the top assistant
coaches in the country. At his previous stop, he
helped UNC-Charlotte achieve consecutive top20 recruiting classes in 2002 and 2003.
www.hampton pirates.com
Basketball Times, The Hoop Scoop and
Rivalshoops.com each ranked Nickelberry as one
of the top 20 assistant coaches in the country.
“Kevin Nickelberry quietly has built himself into
one of college basketball’s premiere recruiters,”
said Mike DeCourcy, college basketball writer
for the Sporting News. “Perhaps he’s been
too quiet. His accomplishments in helping to
identify and attract promising players haven’t
gotten nearly the attention merited. Anyone who knows the game
knows talent is the primary ingredient in building a winning program.
Locating players who fit in a given program is not as easy as Kevin
makes it look.”
14
While a lot has been made of Nickelberry’s ability to recruit, what has
been equally as impressive is the development of players under his
tutelage. At every school he has coached
he has recruited and/or developed a
Rookie of the Year or Player of the year.
Prior to joining Clemson, Nickelberry
served two seasons as the top assistant at
UNC-Charlotte in Conference USA. While
at Charlotte, he helped to recruit and sign
four impact players who have outstanding
college careers — Eddie Basden, Martin Iti,
Curtis Withers and Vincent Grier. Basden
was named Conference USA Player of the
Year and Defensive Player of the Year in
2005, while Withers was named to the
Conference USA all-conference team in
2004 and 2005, named a third-team All–
American by Basketball Times and
played for USA Basketball in 2004. Iti was
ESPN’s No. 1 ranked high school center in
2003, and made the Conference USA AllRookie Team in 2004. Grier transferred to
Minnesota, where he was named to the All-Big
Ten Team and helped the Gophers make the
NCAA tournament.
Nickelberry served two seasons at the College
of Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., where
he was the associate head coach. While at
Holy Cross, he helped guide the Crusaders
to a remarkable season, which included the
best turnaround in school history, an NCAA
tournament appearance and the Patriot
League regular season and tournament
championships. Nickelberry also helped recruit
and develop two conference Rookie of the Year
players, two conference Player of the Year
awardees, three All-Rookie Team performers,
four first team all-conference recipients and
two second team all-conference players while
there.
During his tenure at Monmouth University
in New Jersey, Nickelberry helped land the
Northeastern Conference Newcomer of the
Year and its Players of the Year. He spent the
previous three years as an assistant coach at Howard University,
where he helped assemble teams that featured two MEAC Newcomer
of the Year players and five players who earned all-rookie and/or allleague honors in their careers.
Nickelberry began his coaching career at NAIA Columbia Union
College in Maryland, where he served as both assistant men’s
basketball coach and head women’s
basketball coach. In his only season with
the men’s program, Columbia Union
made its first ever appearance in the
NAIA tournament.
Prior to beginning his coaching career,
Nickelberry was involved in many
successful entrepreneur ventures. He
was the president of two public relations
firms and founded an at-risk youth nonprofit organization in the Washington,
D.C. area.
Nickelberry and his wife, Mamie, reside
in Hampton with their sons, Kyan and
Kelby.
2008–09 Men’s Basketball Media Guide
Edward Joyner is entering his
third year as an assistant coach
with the Hampton University
men’s basketball program.
His responsibilities include
guard development, recruiting,
game scouting, administrative
duties, academic coordination
and community relations.
In Joyner’s first season with
the Pirates, he helped develop
first team all-conference guard
Rashad West, the MEAC’s
leading scorer in 2006, and Michael Freeman, the 2006 MEAC
Rookie of the Year. As academic coordinator, Joyner guided the
men’s basketball program to the highest team GPA in 10 years.
Joyner came to Hampton after 11 years as the assistant head coach
at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C. He also served as
head women’s basketball coach in the last five years of his tenure
at Johnson C. Smith. Joyner also served as assistant to the Dean of
Students over Judiciary Affairs.
Joyner helped the Johnson C. Smith women reach the CIAA title
game in three of his five seasons, making one NCAA Tournament
appearance. In all, Joyner coaches six all-conference players.
Joyner played his collegiate ball at Johnson C. Smith, earning letters
all four seasons he played. He helped guide the Golden Bulls to three
division titles, two trips to the CIAA championship game and three
appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Joyner was named
Defensive Player of the Year twice, and he finished his career among
the top-ten assist leaders in Johnson C. Smith history.
Joyner is also the owner and co-coordinator of Scholars Inc., a nonprofit organization in Charlotte that helps underprivileged children.
Scholars Inc. provides summer camps for at-risk youths, group
homes and an academic and sports unit that has helped at least 25
students receive college scholarships for athletics and academics.
hampton university
Assistant Coach
Edward Joyner Jr.
A native of Winston-Salem N,C., Joyner is the son of Edward Joyner
Sr., head basketball coach at St. Paul’s College, and the nephew
of Steve Joyner, the head basketball coach and athletic director at
Johnson C. Smith. He is married to the former Aerian Miller and they
have two children: E.J. (2) and six-month old Andrew.
2008–09 Men’s Basketball Media Guide
www.hampton pirates.com
During his tenure with the men’s basketball program at Johnson
C. Smith, Joyner was instrumental in developing 13 first team allconference performers and seven All-Americans — five of whom
are currently playing professional basketball. The Golden Bulls made
seven appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, reaching the
Elite Eight in 2001 after capturing the Central Intercollegiate Athletic
Association (CIAA) championship.
15
h a m p t o n u n i v e r s i t y
Assistant Coaches
Keith Coutreyer
Keith Coutreyer enters his first
year as assistant coach with
the Hampton University men’s
basketball team after an eightyear stint as head coach at Laurel
High School in Prince George’s
County, Md.
In his last three years at Laurel, the
team posted a 52-20 record, going
a school-record 22-3 last season.
Laurel won the regular-season
league title last year with a 17-1
mark, also capturing the county
championship. After capturing the
county title, Laurel defeated Eleanor Roosevelt High to capture the regional
championship, the school’s first since 1980. Laurel finished the season
ranked seventh by the Washington Post. Courteyer was also named Coach
of the Year.
team at the NCAA Division II level. Courteyer first met Pirates head coach
Kevin Nickelberry while at Columbia Union, where Nickelberry was the head
women’s basketball coach and an assistant on the men’s staff.
Courteyer also holds special education certification, which he earned at
Trinity College in Washington, D.C. For 14 years, Courteyer has patrolled
the sidelines and the classroom, shaping youth for the future. In his tenure
as a coach, Courteyer has sent over 25 players to play at the NCAA level, be
it Division I, II or III. “Wins will be celebrated and then forgotten,” Courteyer
said, “but the lives that you touch will last a lifetime.”
Courteyer’s duties at Hampton will include schedule coordination, monitoring
the academic progress of his student-athletes and working primarily with
the team’s guards. Courteyer will supervise and implement their workout
program. Courteyer will also assist in the other day-to-day operations for the
Hampton University men’s basketball team as needed.
Courteyer is a published author (Bill Cosby Ain’t Crazy), as well as a loving
father and family man. He looks forward to impacting the lives of Hampton
University’s student-athletes, both on and off the court.
Courteyer graduated from Columbia Union College in 1992 with a bachelor’s
degree in journalism. At Columbia Union, Courteyer played on the basketball
www.hampton pirates.com
Steve Zengel
16
Steve Zengel is the newest
member of the Pirates’ coaching
staff, entering his second year
as an assistant basketball coach.
Zengel joins the Pirates after
spending the past four years as
a financial advisor in the Jersey
Shore area.
As the Director of Basketball
Operations, Zengel was responsible
for assisting with the daily business
of the program, including, but not
limited to, academic progress,
film exchange, scouting report
preparation, study hall monitoring summer camp programming and team
travel arrangements.
In order to come to Hampton, Zengel had to leave his position as coach
of AlleyOop, a team in the prestigious Jersey Shore Basketball League, a
semi-professional, NBA and NCAA sanctioned summer league. Members of
his team included several high-profile college and professional basketball
players.
Pleasant Beach High School (N.J.). At “The Beach,” Zengel guided the team to
a record-setting number of wins in a season, the first winning record in over
10 years, the first Shore Conference Tournament invitation in over 40 years,
the two-time receipt of the NJIAABO Sportsmanship Award, and the first
appearance ever in a national high school basketball tournament, the Surfn-Slam Classic in San Diego, Calif. Zengel and his staff also implemented the
first-ever Point Pleasant Beach High School summer basketball camp.
In addition, his players were often recognized for their academic success,
both having appeared on the television network MSG and having received
consecutive WOBM Christmas Classic Scholarship awards.
Some of Zengel’s other accolades include being elected President of the
Shore Coaches Association for three consecutive terms and working as a
camp counselor at the world-renowned Five-Star and Eastern Invitational
basketball camps. As president, Zengel brought in some of most wellrespected minds in college basketball to speak to New Jersey high school
coaches. Among the guest speakers were Pete Carill, Bill Carmody, Fran
Fraschilla, Don Harnum, Bill Herrion, Paul Hewitt, Gerry Matthews and
Wayne Szoke. As camp counselor, Zengel worked with hundreds of the toptalented high school basketball players nationwide, many of whom now play
in the NBA.
Zengel is married, has twin three-year-old boys, and lives in Hampton, Va.
Prior to coaching AlleyOop, Zengel served as teacher and Head Boys Varsity
Basketball Coach at both Red Bank Regional High School (N.J.) and Point
2008–09 Men’s Basketball Media Guide
Larry Ayers
Larry Ayers is entering his first
year as assistant coach with
the Hampton University men’s
basketball program. Ayers joins the
Pirates after a decade of coaching
experience in the Hampton Roads
area, and his duties with the team
include developing the guards and
helping with scouting.
Ayers, a Norfolk, Va. native, got
his coaching start at Warwick
High School in Newport News, Va.,
where he spent five years as a
coach of the Raiders’ junior varsity
team. From there, Ayers went to Bethel High School in Hampton, Va., where
he spent one season as an assistant on the JV team before being named
co-head coach of the JV team and assistant coach of the varsity team. Ayers
spent five more years at Bethel, helping the Bruins become annual Virginia
Group AAA state contenders, before coming to Hampton University.
Ayers, who also works as a manager with S.L. Nusbaum Realty, is in the
process of receiving a degree in business administration from Averett
University. He is scheduled to receive his degree in 2009. Ayers is also a
member of the Ivy Baptist Church and the National Notary Association.
Ayers enjoys golf and traveling as his hobbies. He is married to Keedah
Nicole and they have two children: Lashawn (23) and Hailey (3).
2008–09 Men’s Basketball Media Guide
www.hampton pirates.com
Steve Zengel
hampton university
Assistant Coaches
17
h a m p t o n u n i v e r s i t y
Support Staff
Akeem Miskdeen
Director of Basketball Operations
Akeem
Miskdeen
enters
his first year with the
Hampton University men’s
basketball program, serving
as the Director of Basketball
Operations. In that capacity,
Miskdeen
oversees
oncampus recruiting, monitoring
study hall, coordinating team
travel, scouting, academics
and assisting the rest of the
coaching staff in the day-to-day activities of the men’s basketball
program.
All-Tournament Team, again being named Team Defensive MVP and
team captain.
Miskdeen comes from Queens University in Charlotte, N.C., where
he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in corporate communication
in 2008. At Queens, Miskdeen helped the team make back-toback appearances in the NCAA Division II tournament. As a junior,
Miskdeen was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Sodexho
Holiday Tournament, while also earning Team Defensive MVP honors.
As a senior, Miskdeen was named to the Conference of the Carolinas
Miskdeen spent this past May coaching the Illinois Old School 15
and Under AAU program, and in 2007, he interned at the Street and
Smith Sports Business Journal. Miskdeen spent his sophomore year
at LCCC as a resident advisor.
Miskdeen transferred to Queens in 2006 from Laramie County
Community College in Wyoming, where he earned an Associate of
Arts degree in general studies. He was the starting point guard for
LCCC both years, also serving as team captain. He was ninth in the
country in steals as a sophomore, while leading the team in both
assists and steals. Miskdeen was the team’s Defensive MVP both
seasons at LCCC, and he led the team to its first ever Region IX
Central-Sub Region Championship.
Miskdeen left LCCC as the all-time assists leader with 305. He was
named Student of the Year in 2006.
Miskdeen hails from Chicago, Ill.
Maurice Williams
www.hampton pirates.com
Director of Sports Information
18
Maurice Williams is entering
his second year as Director of
Sports Information at Hampton
University. Williams handles
the day-to-day functions of
the Sports Information Office,
and he currently serves as
the contact person for all
sports. In addition to his SID
responsibilities, Williams also
aides with the fundraising and
marketing activities for Hampton athletics.
Prior to becoming the Director of Sports Information at Hampton,
Williams served in the same capacity at Shaw University. Prior to his
time at Shaw, he spent five years at Livingstone College as a student
assistant and as an intern.
contact for all of the University’s sports. Williams also assisted in the
Marketing and Promotions efforts while at Shaw.
During his time at Livingstone, Williams helped coordinate the
publicity efforts for the school’s 13 intercollegiate athletics. He
worked as a statistician for the Blue Bear’s football, softball, volleyball
and men’s and women’s basketball teams. In addition, he served
as the primary media contact for men’s basketball, volleyball and
softball and assisted with football, track and field, cross country and
women’s basketball.
Williams currently holds memberships in the College Sports
Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and the Black College
Sports Information Director’s Association (BcSIDA).
Maurice Williams is a native of Allendale, South Carolina, and a
2005 graduate of Livingstone College, earning a bachelors degree
in English.
While at Shaw, Williams helped coordinate the publicity efforts for
the school’s 14 intercollegiate athletics and served as the primary
2008–09 Men’s Basketball Media Guide
Zach Nott
Director of Athletic Performance
Zach Nott is entering his fourth season with the Hampton University athletics program and his third
as the Director of Athletic Performance. Previously, Nott was the Assistant Strength and Conditioning
Coach at Colgate University from 2003 to 2005. Before his time at Colgate, Nott spent three years
on the staff at the University of Nebraska’s Husker Power. Nott received his bachelors degree in
community health education from the University of Nebraska in 2003 and he is certified by the national
Strength and Conditioning Association.
Christina Espinoza
hampton university
Support Staff
Director of Athletic Training and Rehabilitation
Christina Espinoza is entering her second year as the Hampton University Director of Athletic Training
and Rehabilitation.
Espinoza heads a facility that offers Pirate athletes a comprehensive program entailing injury prevention,
recognition, evaluation and management of injuries, rehabilitation and reconditioning following injury
or surgery, education and counseling.
Espinoza joins the Pirate family after having served as an athletic trainer on numerous levels. Before
arriving at Hampton she served a year as head athletic trainer of Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee
where she was responsible for the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of athletic related injuries
for the 11 NCAA D2 varsity sports. Prior to that, Espinoza was head football athletic trainer at Alabama
State University where she works with football, track and field, women’s basketball and baseball. She
also spent a year with the Montgomery Maulers of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL), who went on to become the first NIFL team
to win the division in its inaugural season.
Regina Bartholomeo
Basketball Office Manager
Regina Bartholomeo is the office manager for both the Hampton University men’s and women’s
basketball programs, and her day-to-day duties are to assist in arranging team travel, budgeting,
compliance and recruiting.
A 1989 graduate of Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, Calif., Bartholomeo enlisted in the
United States Air Force and was stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va. for four years.
During her service, Bartholomeo spent seven months in Saudi Arabia, participating in the Desert
Shield/Desert Storm campaign.
Bartholomeo joined the Pirate family in May 1995, and has since played an essential role in the
success of Hampton University basketball. She lists her most memorable basketball moments as her
participation in the NCAA tournament — both with the women at the University of Connecticut and the
men when they beat Iowa State in Boise, Idaho in 2001.
2008–09 Men’s Basketball Media Guide
www.hampton pirates.com
Espinoza is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University (1998) where she received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. She is the
proud mother of one son, six-year old Nikolas.
19